t appeared that everything was done in tip-top style
aboard the _Stella Maris)_.

About five o'clock, Marsh, the chief steward, presented himself with a
message from Mrs Vansittart, requesting the pleasure of my company at
dinner at seven o'clock, which invitation I of course accepted, as in
duty bound.

We were just abreast the eastern extremity of Canvey Island when the
second bugle call sounded for dinner. I was by that time dressed and
quite ready, and joined Kennedy, who had also been invited; and together
we repaired to the drawing-room, where Mrs Vansittart, gorgeously
attired and wearing many diamonds, very graciously received us and then
proceeded to introduce me in due form to the parson, her daughter, and
her son.

As regards the parson, I need only say that his manner was everything
that the most fastidious person could possibly desire. He was a
gentleman, in the highest sense of that often misused term; and although
his conversation subsequently, during dinner, evidenced that he was a
most erudite and finished scholar, there was nothing of the pedant about
him. Information exuded from him naturally and simply because he could
not help it; it seemed impossible to broach a topic upon which his
knowledge was not complete, and he was brilliant without the slightest
apparent effort.

As for Miss Anthea, she looked lovely in a perfectly simple white satin
dinner frock, her only jewellery being a thin gold necklet, from which
was suspended a very fine opal in a quaint and curious gold setting.
She acknowledged my introduction to her with the slightest possible
inclination of her head, and thereafter ignored my existence for the
rest of the evening. And her brother's greeting of me was equally
frigid.

Mrs Vansittart's graceful and kindly geniality, however, made ample
amends for the disdainful attitude of her children. She chatted in
animated fashion with Monroe, Kennedy, and me for some minutes, and then
Marsh, the chief steward, appeared with the announcement that dinner was
served. Thereupon she turned to me and said:

"Mr Leigh, you are the stranger of the party to-night; do me the favour
to take me down to dinner."

That dinner--as indeed were all those at which I was subsequently a
guest--was a banquet. The viands were the choicest of their several
kinds, and perfectly prepared; the wines were of rare vintages--at least
so Monroe asserted (I was no judge of wines, and contented myself with a